Repairing Souls
by InstaGimp
Summary: "Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage." - Lao Tzu. Ash wants to become a Frontier Brain to save himself from boredom and depression. Anabel has lost her love for life. Can they help each other through troubling times? No one knows. Theirs is a story of darkness, of purity, of despair, of joy. Formerly "Save You, Save Me."
1. Chapter 1

**Aaaaaaaand WHAT'S UP EVERYONE! I'm InstaGimp, and this is my first fanfiction. Constructive criticism is welcome, but flamers should expect one of two things:**

**1\. Have their comment deleted.**

**2\. Be utterly humiliated in the next chapter.**

**This is a Pokemon fanfic that will focus on Anabel's one-sided (canonically) relationship to Ash and its psychological effects on both trainers involved. Needless to say, this story features AbilityShipping. AbilityShipping has always made the most sense to me because, if one watches old Pokemon episodes, the only remotely romantic moments with Ash are those that include Anabel. Well, excluding Brock's…efforts…anyway. At least he has Lucy. Also, Anabel has by far the least character development out of Ash's ship partners, which kinda sucks because to me Anabel is also by far the most interesting one. I mean, seriously, who doesn't think that a Frontier Brain that talks to Pokemon and senses emotions is cool? (Privacy could definitely become an issue though…)**

**The plot skeleton is highly generic: Ash decides to take up Scott's offer of becoming a Frontier Brain and trains under Anabel, when they form a mutual bond of friendship and something more…ok I'm getting too romantic here. What I mean is, if you decide to judge this story, don't do it because of the plot, but because of the content. Canonically, this takes place before the XY saga because I honestly don't want to meander through the complications of Mega Evolution when it comes to battling. Nor do I want to explain how, say, a Whimsicott can tank a Draco Meteor. Well, this intro is too long already. "More matter with less art," as they say. Thank you and enjoy Chapter One.**

**This chapter could be considered M for "adult themes"...I guess.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon. If I did, Ash would actually win a league (not including Orange Islands). I'm too lazy to write a disclaimer for every chapter, so let's just make this one count for all of them.**

* * *

Chapter I

Wings

Tohjo Falls. The gateway between Kanto and Johto, they were a truly awe-inspiring spectacle and widely known tourist attraction. Lush forests and foliage dotted the rugged hills. For the intrepid, vast caverns served as their playground. And, of course, the waterfalls themselves were a sight to behold. The sheer power of the water's flowing and gushing could be felt even by tourists who were merely taking pictures at a safe distance. Wild Pokemon found in the area were reported to lead happy, healthy lives.

All in all, Tohjo Falls was the ideal place to live.

However, for one individual, it was also the ideal place to die.

Salon Maiden Anabel, the Frontier Brain in charge of the Battle Tower, was a symbol of success to those who knew her both personally and professionally. After all, she held the third most important position in the Battle Frontier (only below Brandon and Scott), she had a good paycheck, and her job involved her favorite activity—battling. On top of that, her ability to communicate and empathize with her own Pokemon as well as wild ones made them love her as much as she loved them.

It was natural, then, to assume she was happy.

However, this was not so. Though she did indeed live a happy life once, the day came when Scott informed her of a certain challenger for the Ability Symbol. Considering he had already defeated all five previous Brains, she prepared herself for the inevitable confrontation. But nothing could have possibly prepared her for the challenger himself.

Standing at the top of the falls, Anabel sighed. She had lost an unacceptable number of battles ever since he left. At this point, though, not even victory could fill the hole left in her heart.

She briefly questioned what she was about to do, but quickly crushed all opposition within her mind. Without happiness, she reasoned, life was not worth living, and without him, there would be no happiness. While he was here, he brought her joy, hope, adventure, and so much more than she could have hoped to imagine, and when he left, her mood, her record—her _everything_—sunk back into the depths of her normal, ordinary, pastepudding, dull, boring life. Sure, he was incredibly unaware of others' emotions. Sure, he was absolutely horrible at actually planning what he was going to do in a battle. Sure, he couldn't cook for his life. Sure, his IQ was probably lower than the depths of the Giant Chasm. But his resourcefulness, his cheerfulness, and his incredible knack for making friends (human and Pokemon) made him the object of Anabel's affections.

And as she thought about him, she faintly smiled.

* * *

_"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH! LET'S GET OUTTA HERE!"_

_"Hm?"_

_Anabel, taking a morning stroll, did not expect a teenager in a cap to accidentally provoke a Beedrill and run away screaming. Pitying the boy, she decided to intervene._

_"Hold on, Beedrill!"_

_"Bee?"_

_"Please, calm down!"_

_By now, the other trainer and the Mouse Pokemon had become completely silent, probably due to either shock or admiration. Or maybe Ash was staring at—nah he's Ash._

_"You're so angry I can't understand what you're saying! I wanna help you, that's all! Now, just relax and take a nice deep breath. Let's start from the beginning. Tell me what happened."_

_"zBee! Bee! zzBee!"_

_"They were too close to your nest, and you were just trying to chase them away. I see!"_

_"Hold on!" the boy finally managed to say. "Am I crazy or are those two actually talking?"_

* * *

_Afterwards, the two got to know each other, though Team Rocket's plans did waste some of their time._

_"Alakazam, Psybeam!"_

_"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"_

_I'm pretty sure I don't need to elaborate._

_"We're blasting off agaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaain!"_

* * *

_And then came the revelation of the century…_

_"Well, if the truth be told, I happen to be a girl."_

_"HUH!?"_

_The look on his face said it all._

* * *

_Finally, the day after he suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Anabel, he rechallenged her and won._

_"I GOT AN ABILITY SYMBOL!"_

_"Pika pi kaChu!"_

_Anabel only smiled._

_Outside, as he pondered his upcoming battle at the Battle Pyramid, Anabel, keeping her emotions hidden, only spoke a simple sentence. _

_"Hey, Ash? That Frontier Brain is strong, so good luck. I'll be rooting for you!"_

_"Anabel, thanks!"_

_As Ash and his friends left, Anabel's mind suddenly realized one thing._

_"He shook my hand…"_

_And then she blushed, suddenly feeling very warm inside._

* * *

Tears sprang to Anabel's eyes, but she strengthened her resolve. Ash would never return, she knew. Maybe he's found someone else by now.

Anabel thus decided upon her current course of action. If he would not stay for her, then she would wait for him, amongst the stars.

Taking a moment to admire the scenery—after all, that's what people do, right?—she was almost awed by the beauty despite having lived in the area for so long.

The forest. She remembered sharing her troubles with the Pokemon there after long, exhausting days, which recently seemed to be virtually every day.

The hills. Before she became the famous Salon Maiden, her family used to take her on camping trips there. She became fascinated with the wild Pokemon, and discovered her empathic abilities.

Before she became the Salon Maiden…

As Anabel saw a familiar building not too far away, she felt the faintest bit of suppressed rage. It did not explode like an inferno, but rather trickled like lava.

The Battle Tower. Her pride, her sanctuary, her responsibility, and now…her burden and prison.

Anabel waited no longer; she walked to the very edge of the Tohjo Falls.

She spread her wings for the last time, and she jumped…

**And on THAT uplifting note, Chapter One is finished!**

**Will Anabel die? Or will something (or someone) save her? (It's pretty obvious which one…I want to write an actual story after all!)**

**So, I guess this is bye for now! Don't forget to leave a review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**First off, this chapter takes place BEFORE Chapter One, "Wings." I am currently deciding whether or not to have this chapter and Chapter One switch places to smoothen out the chronology.**

**As for the reviews:**

**Skywa1ker: Thank you sir. A new writer like me definitely wants encouragement, so when I read your review, the reaction was akin to a squirrel pouncing on the last acorn on Earth. Summer's coming up soon, so I hope to bash out a decent number of chapters then.**

**LightRayPearlshipper: Well after reading your review, I've changed the rating to M, which gives me more freedom to write what I want instead of having to "un-adult-ize" certain parts. As for chapter length, I tend to like being more concise than others, but after reading some monstrous 10k+ words per chapter stories, I am trying to flesh out the details and pack more plot into each chapter. However, Chapters One and Two were, in my mind, designed to provide backstory for both Anabel and Ash, so I wanted to make them somewhat shorter. Your last point about how "Wings" should be Chapter 2 was well said and is under consideration. Thank you for providing constructive criticism instead of straight up saying, "This story sucks."**

**Though this fic is now rated M, do NOT expect a lemon. I know much about many mature topics, but, simply put, I am waaaaaaaay too young to write one. If I do put a lemon in this story, I will not write it myself, but instead have someone else do it and possibly have them publish it as a separate story.**

**One last note. After reading numerous AbilityShipping fanfictions involving the Ash-goes-into-solitude-and-then-reappears-at-a-major-tournament concept, I have been conflicted. Should I keep my current plot? Should I switch and start anew? Or should I go the "From Servant to Stardom" route and mash both together (by the way MisterP you are awesome)? Let me know in your reviews or in the poll on my profile.**

**Also, in this story, Ash can understand Pokemon language due to his aura if the bond between him and the Pokemon is extremely strong and if the Pokemon is aware of his powers. Basically just Pikachu. Note how I said that Ash can UNDERSTAND Pokemon language. His powers are different from those of Anabel, who has a two-way connection with a Pokemon's mind, friendly or not.**

* * *

Chapter 2

Frozen

The Kanto region. Truly spectacular, teeming with Pokemon and people. Many elements of both nature and civilization come together to form such a beautiful place.

In Kanto, one of the most famous buildings is Professor Oak's laboratory. Though not visually appealing, some of the most important discoveries and breakthroughs in Pokemon research have been made here. Located in Pallet Town, it gives Pokemon trainers their starter Pokemon and Pokedexes, devices that identify Pokemon and give the trainer information about the species. The Oak Ranch provides a perfect habitat, serving as a daycare of sorts.

As such, Pallet Town has become known for Professor Oak's research center alone, overshadowing the remarkable accomplishments of one of its residents.

Ever since he lost the Unova league, Ash has never been the same. To the casual observer, Ash hardly changed. His signature cap, those weird lightning bolts on his cheeks **(****A/N: What ARE those anyway?)**, his beloved friend Pikachu by his side (or on his shoulder), even his voracious appetite that rivaled that of the Gible he caught in Sinnoh-all of that was still there. However, those who personally knew him sensed something wrong.

In his room, Ash sat. No writing, no reading, nothing. He just sat blankly, and went wherever his mind might take him. Such was the new way of life for him. Such was how life had gone for six whole months.

On the bed, Pikachu only stared at his trainer. Under his cute expression, he was experiencing a peculiar mix of emotions. Here was one of the bravest humans ever to exist, one who gained the favor of even Arceus. One who, at such a young age, participated in and achieved incredible results in multiple tournaments and leagues. Even more impressively, he didn't make any special effort to train his Pokemon: his victories were ensured by a combination of resourcefulness and deep friendship with his Pokemon, especially Pikachu. Pikachu knew this: he would do anything, absolutely anything for Ash, who had already done so much for him and would continue to as long as he lived.

But Pikachu also saw Ash's greatest flaw.

If anyone else was asked what that defect might be, he or she might say that Ash tended to behave recklessly. Others (especially Paul) might say that he didn't train his Pokemon hard enough and didn't bring out their full potential. And they would be partly right. These were not flaws in themselves, but rather the manifestation of one: selflessness. Not just selfless as in unselfishness and benevolence, but selfless as in a complete lack of care and respect for oneself. This weakness was alleviated temporarily when he started to travel with friends such as Brock, but defeat would eventually cause him to relapse. Coupled with an incredibly dense mind that failed to really sense what others felt for him and an increasingly long string of failures, it came as no surprise to Pikachu that his trainer was depressed.

His conduct, once lively, cheerful, and borderline cocky, had changed to sullen, restrained, and gray. His bond with his Pokemon remained strong, but it was easy to see that Ash had lost his desire to battle. He was no longer a Pokemon trainer who thirsted for competition and victory, but instead he was one who thought that the world did not love him and that he, therefore, could not love it back.

Even worse, Ash actually liked someone. A certain Frontier Brain known as the Salon Maiden. Before, Ash was merely friends with her. But after being separated from her for so long, the feelings only intensified. Though he knew Anabel was not a love interest, Pikachu worried about this attraction. Having never been smitten with anyone before, if Ash eventually fell into love with Anabel, then he would do so quite deeply. And if Anabel didn't love him back...

_I've seen Ash's face when he daydreams like this, _Pikachu mused. _It's easy to know when he thinks of Anabel: he smiles. Not in a forced or goofy way, but in a...happy way. Odd. He hasn't been happy since forever. _

Ash had not only lost a tournament, he had also lost himself. And it was this last part, not the first, that distressed Pikachu.

Meanwhile, Ash thought. He thought about many things, some happy, most sad. Memories of his past tournaments resurfaced, as if taunting him.

_Indigo Conference: I lost to a trainer with the exact same Pokemon...I must've been really bad. Who knows, I might still be._

_Orange League: Sure, I won, but that battle against Drake showed me how far away from my goal I was. His strongest Pokemon, Dragonite, beat almost my whole team! I was just lucky that his other Pokemon were weaker._

_Silver Conference: _Beat Gary. What did it matter? Gary went on to become a great Pokemon researcher, while I'm just here, being pathetic. And on top of that, I lost against Harrison when he used a Pokemon I'd never even seen before!__

__Ever Grande Conference: It was a close battle, maybe, but...Pikachu! My best friend! Lost to a Meowth! I know that Pikachu is strong, so why did we lose...? Maybe because of me...__

__Lily of the Valley Conference: I didn't even win using my own Pokemon...Infernape belonged to Paul...and then I got smashed by Tobias...__

__Vertress Conference: I lost because of an evolution...__

__I was so close to victory all those times, but what's changed? It's not like my results have improved by much. In fact, after leaving Sinnoh, my results worsened.__

__Maybe that's it. Maybe I'm just not cut out for competitive battling...__

And then, another memory rose up from the depths.

_The Battle Frontier: At least no one can take that accomplishment away from me. Beating Brandon must mean something...especially if Scott wanted me to become a Frontier Brain..._

_Wait, what?_

Ash's eyes widened.

_Hm, being a Frontier Brain doesn't sound half bad, actually. I mean, look at Anabel. She gets so much free time, and I'm guessing the pay is huge. If only I actually thought about this back then..._

"I'm an idiot!"

"PIKA!?"

A startled Pikachu suddenly jumped up, bouncing on the bed and falling onto the floor before jumping back onto the sheets, an irritated expression on his face.

Ash chuckled. "Sorry buddy, but I just had a great idea."

"Kachu?"

"You know the Battle Frontier?"

"Chu." _  
_

"You know how Scott wanted me to become a Brain?"

"Chu." _  
_

"Well, I think I'm gonna try! Whadda ya say?"

"Chu!" _His mood's better! Sweet!_

"All I gotta do is call hi-crap."

Ash suddenly reverted back to his default, somber expression, piquing Pikachu's concern and curiosity.

"Pika pi?"

"It's been...let's see, about, I dunno, two years since he made that offer? What if it's too late?" Ash sighed. "Curse my rotten luck, god da-"

"Pika, pika chu, kachu pi." (Calm, Ash. CALM. It's ok.)

"No, it's not okay! Someone else probably already took my place! And th-"

"Chu ka pika chu pichu kachu pika pi kapi chu ka." (How about you actually CALL him first, Mr. Genius. Professor Oak might have his number.)

"...Good idea."

After Ash rushed out of the room, Pikachu smiled.

_He's probably thinking of Anabel right now. Like, maybe her purple hair, or her telepathy, or her face, or her clothing, or lack th-_

Pikachu shook his head. _Let's not think of that right now. _He pounced off the bed, landing on the floor and scurrying downstairs, barely making it in time to hop onto Ash's shoulder as Ash was about to head out.

Ash had been frozen in the past for far too long. It was time for him to move onward.

* * *

**LET IT GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO**

**I just had to jump on the bandwagon.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Back**** for the third chapter! Updates will probably slow down (sadly) soon, since in two (or is it three? I suck at this kind of thing) weeks I'll be going on a trip to D.C. (and throw stones at the IRS and/or Congress if I get within range XD) and after THAT I'll have finals coming up. Not that I actually study, but...**

**The good news is, summer's coming up, so I'll have three whole months to focus on writing SYSM! Whoa! Amazing! Who knows, on a good week I might finish four or five chapters...then again, I, as a newbie, have absolutely no idea how difficult writing a story can get, but I'm assuming it only gets more difficult. **

**Now, to the reviews!**

**Flamin'Moya14: I'm glad you like it! Could you specify what made you confused in a PM? I could use the advice.**

**ANON: I suppose Anabel's reaction is a tad unrealistic. I planned it to be based on a couple of factors: Ash (duh!), distraction from her work which turned into the horrible win-loss record mentioned in the story, and perhaps even, I don't know, a desire for freedom? I guess I just like drama, haha :D But I see your point. I'll see if I can provide some backstory...Chapter One was too short anyway. As for the rest of your comment, thanks! I get rather frustrated when I see Ash lose...he could do so much better. What's even worse is how Pikachu always seems to lose to what are probably level 5-6 pokemon (if even) at the start of each new journey. I mean seriously, WTF?**

**DualStarduster: Thanks. XD Funny thing is, some girl at school actually slapped me when I told her I hadn't watched ****_Frozen_**** yet. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned...**

**crimsonninja117: I'm glad we share the blessing of brevity.**

**Pet Shop Girl: Thanks for the positive words, as well as the advice. Interestingly, though, I hate notebooks. (My logic: why bother getting one when I can just cram everything into my binder and hope I find it later? By the way, my binder is equivalent to four big history textbooks in height. And it's still growing.) But maybe I'll get one; at the very least I can use the cardboard back for a house model :/ lol. I'll probably end up storing it all mentally since that's what I usually do (and that's also how I even find the papers stuffed inside my binder at all).**

**Guest: I addressed both the rating stuff and Ash's story in Chapter Two. Thanks tho.**

***The video calling machine found in Pokemon Centers will be referred to as the Pictochat Machine (reference to the DS), so don't be confused if you see the term! **

**Some people may find the humorous shift in tone rather weird and unappealing. However, this is simply how I write: I like to keep humor, formality, peacefulness, chaos, sadness, etc. all in balance. I like switching between styles, and I hope you readers enjoy it too. If you guys want, I'll "de-humor-ize" this story a little, giving it more of the feel of a true tragedy (which, however, this story is NOT supposed to be).**

**Without further ado, Chapter Three!**

* * *

Chapter Three

Guardian Angel

As Ash left the room, he only had one thing on his mind:

Get to Oak's place. Fast.

Of course, being the clumsy, bumbling fool he was (and most definitely still is), he tripped over three stairs, miraculously not spraining either ankle, before unceremoniously tumbling into the living room and smashing face-first into the wall. Needless to say, Ash's nose hurt. Badly.

Having been accustomed to her son's more...unorthodox ways of making an entrance, Delia Ketchum merely sighed as her son removed his face from the plaster, a clear indent now visible at the point of impact.

"Hi mom!"

Now _that _greeting was unexpected. _What's the matter with him today? Why's he so energetic all of a sudden?_ Delia wondered. _Hasn't he been rather moody for six months? _

"Hi to you too, dear. Why are you so hasty all of a sudden? Has something happened?"

Ash replied, "Well, mom, I think I've finally realized something."

His philosophical comment would have been appreciated if Delia knew what he was talking about.

"Hm? Just what, exactly?"

"Well, see, back when I was traveling with May, I challenged the Battle Frontier."

"Oh..." Delia said. "I'm so sorry, dear, but you really need to get over your losses-"

"Mom, I'm not being depressed again. I beat the whole Battle Frontier when I challenged it. In fact, Scott wanted me to join, but I wanted to keep traveling."

To say that Delia was impressed and/or completely shocked would be an understatement. Her little Ashy-boy, defeat the legendary Battle Frontier? And be offered a job? She was unable to formulate a response for several seconds.

"Mom?" Ash asked tentatively.

Snapping out of her dazed stupor, Delia answered,

"Yes, dear?"

"You see, I'm rushing because I want to go to Professor Oak's lab so I can contact Scott. I wanna become a Frontier Brain!"

Delia was very moved by Ash's seemingly newfound maturity. Before, Ash would blindly dive into whatever adventure he wished (not, of course, a good strategy), but now he was showing solid judgment and rational thinking (**A/N: Surprising, I know**). Still, Delia wanted to know if Ash had really thought his plan all out.

"I'm all right with you taking Scott's offer, honey, but are you sure you want to? Why do you want to become one?"

To Delia's satisfaction, Ash immediately started speaking.

"Well, it'll be a good learning experience. Also, after losing so many Pokemon Leagues, I don't think traveling from region to region is such a great idea. I guess what I've really needed is, you know, a change of pace. Plus, I'll get to see..." He trailed off.

Delia, confused, asked, "Ash? Honey, are you okay?"

Somewhat embarrassed, Ash replied, "Yeah...anyways, I should probably leave now..."

Coming to a swift conclusion in her head, Delia grinned. Her boy was _really _maturing. "Now, now, Ash. Not so fast. Who's the lucky girl?"

"Mom!"

"Oh, so it _is _a girl. How interesting..." Delia was really enjoying the awkward look on Ash's face.

"Okmomthanksgottagobye!" Ash grabbed his cap, threw on a random jacket, and was about to dash out the door until...

"Pika pika!" (You idiot! Did you forget me?)

"Oh, uh...hi! Bye mom!"

"You have a good time too, dear...I know a good jewelry shop in Saffron City if you-"

"MOM!"

* * *

Seven minutes and four bruises later (the road was a lot bumpier than it looked, okay?), Ash and Pikachu finally arrived at their destination. They then proceeded to greet Professor Oak the same way they always did.

Meaning they barged straight into his office, scaring the living daylights out of him and causing him to fall out of his chair, only to knock his head against the back wall and slide to the floor unconscious.

"Professor? Professor? ...Oh he's out cold. Damn. Well, Pikachu, can you help me find Scott's profile? He should be somewhere in the 'S' section in Professor Oak's contacts."

After dragging out the researcher's colossal binder of contacts, the two buddies faced the task with their usual calm demeanor. Meaning they were rather intimidated. To make matters worse...

"Shit. These are sorted by LAST name!"

"Pika pikachu!"

* * *

Finally, they found Scott's file. Interestingly, Scott's last name also began with 'S', meaning Ash's and Pikachu's efforts to search the other letters were completely useless.

"Scott Smith (**A/N: Yes, I know. Most. Original. Name. Ever.**), Battle Frontier CEO...here's his number! Great!"

As they ran out of the building, Professor Oak stirred. He noticed a few things. First, he was on the floor. Second, the door to his study was open, as evidenced by the noticeable change in lighting. And third...

"What the hell is THIS doing on my desk?"

* * *

Ash rushed to the nearest Pokemon Center and ran straight up to the front desk.

"Hello, I'm Nurse Joy. How may I-"

"Ineedtomakeareallyimportantcallsowhere'sthePictochatMachine?"

"Uh...over there in the corner."

"ThankyousomuchNurseJoy!"

And just like that, Ash was suddenly in said corner.

Nurse Joy sighed. _Well, he could be worse. Could be Brock._

Meanwhile, Ash was busy dialing a certain number.

"What was his number again? Let's see, it was '1-800-626-4495'...or something like that. Right Pikachu?"

(449_7_, you retard.)

"Oh."

(It's on that paper you took from the Professor's contacts list.)

As usual, Pikachu was right and Ash was wrong.

"Okay. So...One...Eight...Two zeroes...Six Two Six...Four Four Nine Five. There! Let's hope he answers!"

After about three seconds, a familiar looking man appeared onscreen.

"Hi Scott!"

"Hey, Ash!" The pudgy man wearing the hawaiian shirt and totally stylish sunglasses responded.

"I haven't seen you since forever! How are the others!"

"Oh, y'know, the same. Noland, he's trying to make some new kind of engine, I think. I don't understand half the designs he makes but his Pokemon knowledge is enormous. Greta's still going strong. I'm surprised she hasn't killed any of her students yet. Tucker...you know. His fans just sent me a petition to up his pay, promote him, build a bigger Battle Dome...well, you can't say they aren't loyal. Lucy still hasn't gotten sick of her fangirls, somehow. Spenser's chill, meditating, the like. Anabel..." He stopped.

"What?" Ash asked.

"She's...different, to say the least. She hasn't been performing well lately, and I'm afraid her results are only getting worse. Actually, she didn't even show up at the Tower today, according to Maron. Not sure why."

_Uh oh. This doesn't sound good. Maybe I should pay her a visit._ "Geez. She must be having a hard time. But anyways, now to the reason why I'm here. I'd like to become a Frontier Brain!" Ash paused. "...That is, if you'll let me...I know it's been two years..."

Scott was silent.

"Uh...Scott?" Ash was getting really scared now. _Is he gonna say no?_

Suddenly, Scott snickered. Then, he started to chuckle. Soon, he was laughing his head off.

"Scott? Are you okay...?"

Having composed himself (and wiping a tear from his eye), Scott said:

"Ash. Do you have ANY IDEA how many people have beaten the Battle Frontier since you came? ...Or before that, even?"

"Oh..." Disheartened, Ash was about to end the video call when Scott answered his own question.

"NONE!"

"Ahhh!"

"Pika!"

Startled, Ash yelled in fright, clutching Pikachu before he realized Pikachu was trying to say that he couldn't breathe.

"Pika pika, kaChu Pikachu! Pikapi!" (What the hell was that for, Scott!?)

Scott continued, "Ash, you have no idea how talented you are, do you? You are the first and so far only person to defeat all seven current Frontier Brains. Of course you can become one yourself!"

"YEAH!"

"Believe me, all of the Brains missed you greatly. A spark like yours is rarely seen in trainers, young or old. They'll be very happy to hear the news!"

"Um, Scott?"

Ash's tone was oddly shaky, catching Scott's attention.

"Yes?"

"I-I'd like to tell Anabel myself."

"Why?"

"I dunno...I think she needs to relax, calm herself, y'know? I know I can help her do that, considering what happened last time. So please, don't tell her."

Scott seemed to consider Ash's peculiar request, then nodded.

"Alright, kid. You remember where the Battle Tower is, right?"

"Kinda. I know where Tohjo Falls is, and I'm pretty sure it's close by, right?"

"Yeah. Everyone in the area knows where it is, anyway, so if you need to, ask them for directions. Afterwards, take Anabel with you and come to Headquarters in Saffron City tomorrow, okay?"

"Sure. Wait, what does it look like?"

"It's the only building with the Battle Frontier symbol on it..."

"Oh right. See you soon!"

"Goodbye to you too, Ash."

The screen went black.

Ash rushed out of the Pokemon Center immediately, before something dawned on him.

_Which of my Pokemon can take me there? Swellow's way too small. So is Staraptor, and also I'd like to stay unharmed during the flight. Unfezant's with Professor Juniper._

_Wait. Please don't tell me I have to use-oh, well. I have no choice, do I?_

Ash sighed before he made a decision that he would probably regret for the rest of his life.

"Gliscor, I choose you!"

* * *

Sadly, since Gliscor was a Sinnoh Pokemon, he had no idea where "Tohjo Falls" was. Therefore, Ash had to point it out on a map, but then he realized that Gliscor didn't even know his current location. On top of that, Gliscor thought Ash was merely playing a game and slammed him into the ground with his usual enthusiasm, much to Ash's chagrin. Luckily for Ash, the whole mess was all sorted out rather quickly, and he was en route to Tohjo Falls in no time, Pikachu clinging to his left shoulder.

_I wonder how Anabel is. Judging by what Scott said, she's probably...I don't know. There's something wrong with her, but I just don't know what._

_Then again, who am I to talk? I became antisocial and all moody for six months! SIX WHOLE MONTHS! Man, I must've been really screwed up then..._

Ash's thoughts were briefly interrupted as Pikachu let out yet another high pitched squeal. _Oh, right. He's afraid of heights. _Ash tried not to laugh.

_But anyway. What the hell was I thinking, during those six months? I bet my friends were worried sick! And my mom...my mom-"_

Pikachu, noticing that Ash seemed sullen, wondered what was wrong. Having accompanied Ash for so long, it was only natural that he knew how to read his trainer's body language.

"Pika kaChu chu pika!" (Not one of THESE silent fits again, Ash. Chill.)

"Heh...you're right. Sorry Pikachu."

_I wonder if Anabel misses me..._

* * *

"I see Tohjo Falls, Pikachu! You excited?"

"Pika chu!" (Are you kidding? I get to see Espeon again!)

Ash laughed. "And I'll see Anabel. We're both meeting old friends, aren't we?"

Pikachu nodded in agreement.

It had been a long time since Ash had been here. He almost missed it. The green trees, the waterfalls, the red, blue, and purple flowers...

Hold on, purple?

Ash was confused. Why was there only one patch of purple flowers? ...And hold on, those weren't flowers, were they?

No, it was a purple head of hair! Wait...

"Pikachu! It's ANABEL! HEY ANABEL! CAN YOU HEAR ME!?"

Evidently she couldn't. Ash prodded Gliscor to begin descent.

_She seems quiet, in a sad way. _

Then, the unthinkable happened.

Anabel, as if shouting an archaic incantation, spread her arms.

And then she jumped forward.

Time slowed down for Ash, horrified as he watched his friend fall.

He made his decision.

* * *

Falling.

That was all she could think of. The weightlessness, the freedom, the exhilaration.

_And soon, I'll be gone..._

Anabel wasn't remotely scared of death. In fact, given her current circumstances, one could say she welcomed it.

She could feel, even with her eyes closed, the ground coming closer and closer, ready to catch her.

_Would Ash miss me? He challenged me so long ago; would he still care?_

_Would he even remember me?_

Anabel decided she would clear her mind of such thoughts. There would be more time for that later.

And so she felt oddly at peace, bracing herself for impact.

But then...

First she heard the sound. A sickening crack, an explosion of pain, a gruesome crunch, and a final thud.

In the few moments before she blacked out, she saw a large bat-like Pokemon lying unconscious on the ground under her, next to an also unconscious cap-sporting boy holding a battered Pikachu in his left hand...

* * *

**Damn, this chapter sucked. Chapter Four will be better, I promise.**

**Now, I'm not a medical expert, so I'm not completely sure for both Anabel and Ash to have survived the fall, not to mention Gliscor, who cushioned both of their falls. I'm gonna say it is, just so I can continue the story.**

**RnR pl0x **


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm rather surprised this story has 1k views. You guys are great!**

**DualStarduster: Overkill...ha...ha...I get the pun, intentional or not. As for Anabel, it's hard to say whether or not she was thinking at all. Suicide does things to a person, you know? Not that I'd know better than you, I'm just assuming...**

**Pet Shop Girl: Happy birthday! It's what, April 23? My friend's birthday was on that date too! *celebration dance* Delia's teasing is modeled after that of a certain female in my life. Also known as my mother.**

**aloasa: Yeah, Ash made it...barely. I wanted to characterize Ash the same way as the anime did: reckless, has good intentions, but hindered by his brain/lack thereof. **

**Incidentally, I was deciding whether or not Gliscor should die...I guess you'll all find out my final decision now, won't you?**

**Amalgam24: Thank you, you should be a doctor :D Like Brock, minus the...flirting...if you can call it that.**

**Skywa1ker: I would rather be safe than sorry. Remember, this story is not for me. It's for all of you readers! I honestly couldn't give a shit if not many people read my story, as long as those that do understand and enjoy it. **

**The main reasons for the M rating will be revealed...later in the story. **

**By the way, I've read 'Footsoldiers.' It's incredible, and I really liked it.**

**After she recovers from her injuries, Anabel should be back to normal...or as normal as she can be with Ash there.**

**WhiteEagle1985: Thanks!**

**ANON: You like the humor? Great! I have fun writing it too. And yes, Ash's inexplicable stupidity at the beginning of each new journey is...well, stupid.**

**This chapter is where things start getting more interesting. Why? Read on...**

* * *

Chapter Four

Second Chances

_Falling..._

_Falling..._

"Anabel!"

_The ground...closer...and closer..._

"Anabel! Wake up!"

_And then...nothingness..._

"ANABEL!"

"Ahhh!"

Anabel awoke with a startled yell. "Who the hell-oh, hi Scott. Uh...what are you doing in heaven? Don't you ha-"

She trailed off when she saw Scott's solemn face. One thing she had learned from her experiences as a Frontier Brain was that one should never contradict, disagree with, or argue with Scott when he was being serious. God help you if you pissed him off.

Sadly, God was NOT there to help.

"Anabel. Do you have any idea...what happened?"

Confused, Anabel asked, "Why are you asking me? ...I'm dead, aren't I?"

Scott sighed.

"Anabel. You are not dead. You are currently in a hospital. You tried to kill yourself. I grew suspicious when Maron told me you hadn't been at the Battle Tower all day on Wednesday-"

"Wait wait wait. What day is it today?"

"Friday."

_Wow. _"Oh. Uh..."

"You were unconscious for over two days. All of the other Frontier Brains have been very worried about you. Even before this...incident, they were worried. Worried about how you were treating yourself, your facility, and your battles after Ash left. You haven't acted normally, you haven't performed maintenance, you haven't done paperwork, and you haven't been giving your challengers your all. Essentially, you were handing out free Symbols, making the challengers feel all good about themselves while you, the Salon Maiden herself, stayed sullen. We all seemed to know that eventually something would happen. But this...this will not do. Something must be done."

Scott looked over at the girl lying on the hospital bed. Her face betrayed her emotions. Fear, anxiety, guilt, sadness, doubt...Scott knew it was hard for such a young person to go through such an ordeal.

To Scott's surprise, Anabel started to cry.

"I-I'm s-sorry. It's just th-that I c-can't live on anymore. Ever s-since he l-left...I've b-been th-thinking..."

"About?"

"Ab-about Ash. He-he made my life b-better. I-I couldn't s-stand it when he j-just...just..."

And with that, Anabel buried her head in the pillow, letting out muffled sobs.

Scott, seeing Anabel's grief, decided it was time.

"Anabel."

"Wh-what?"

"Look at me."

Anabel did as she was told, eyes red.

"Take a deep breath, and compose yourself."

Anabel again did as she was told.

"Good. Much better. Now, I still haven't told you the most interesting part of the story. Anabel. Ask yourself this."

He leaned over and stared directly into her teary eyes.

"Why do you think you're still alive?"

Anabel, surprised by this question, suddenly realized she couldn't come up with a simple answer.

"You jumped off Tohjo Falls. The impact would have been more than enough to kill you (or any other human). And yet, impossibly, you emerged fully alive. Weak and unconscious, but alive. The other Brains' shock upon hearing the news of your...decision was only matched by their joy at your having survived. Do you know what saved you?"

"N-no. I don't remember much...besides blacking out."

Scott smiled. "Then let me tell you. When Maron arrived at the foot of Tohjo Falls, he found not only you, but also...two others."

"What!?"

It was obvious Anabel, now sitting upright, was fully awake and paying Scott her utmost attention.

Scott's smile grew wider, as if he anticipated her reaction. "As you were falling, those two flew under you, cushioning your fall. Without them, one person would have died. I am pleased to say that you and they are going to make full recoveries within two or three weeks. (Those Chanseys...I don't know how they do it, but I've never been so grateful for them.)"

Anabel was shocked. Not many people cared about her enough to even attempt to save her. They might point and say, "No, Anabel!", but they probably wouldn't have moved an inch. Certainly no one would have gone so far as to put their own lives in danger in order to save hers. She was genuinely curious now. "Who are these two?"

_It's time, _Scott thought to himself. "Nurse Joy!"

Running over, the woman with the omnipresent appearance said,

"Yes, Mr. Smith?"

"Do you know the patient who was admitted into this hospital at the same time as this young lady here? Bring his bed over please."

"Right away sir. Chansey, a little help please!"

"Chan Sey! Chansey chan!"

"Oh, you're busy? Okay then..."

* * *

Within a few minutes, the nurse reappeared, dragging a rolling bed with an unconscious boy on it behind her.

"Here you are, sir."

"Thank you. Now please give us some privacy."

"No problem."

Nurse Joy then promptly left. Scott turned back to Anabel.

"Now, Anabel, do you recognize this man?"

Taking one look at the patient, Anabel gasped.

_He's hardly changed..._

"ASH!"

Scott grinned as Anabel's face lit up, only to restrain her as she tried to flop over to Ash's bed.

They then both looked at Ash as he groaned, muttered to himself, and slowly opened his eyes.

"Ahhh...where am I...? Oh right. A hospital. I hope she's alright."

He then turned to see a knowingly smiling Scott and a beaming Anabel.

"Anabel! You're alright! Thank goodness...ow, shouldn't have done that."

Scott chuckled. "You know, Ash, that arm IS still fractured. By the way, you might be pleased to know that both Gliscor and Pikachu will also be alright...though it was indeed quite the challenge to separate you and Pikachu, considering he was still conscious and wanted to stay with you."

"That's great! And how about you, Anabel?"

"Never better. Ash, I thank you from th-"

"Ahem."

Anabel was interrupted as Scott cleared his throat before speaking.

"Anabel, Ash wants to become a Frontier Brain. That was why he came to Tohjo Falls-to tell you and take you to headquarters."

Anabel fainted from sheer giddiness.

Not noticing, Scott said,

"Anabel, I would like you to be his mentor and guide him. Normally, of course, I would let Ash himself choose, but I have my reasons. So, Anabel, will you do it?"

Much to Scott's disdain, Anabel had already fainted from sheer giddiness.

Ash laughed. "I suppose that's a 'yes.'"

Scott sighed. "I suppose it is."

* * *

**YEAH CHAPTER FOUR WHOOOOOOOOOO**

**So apparently I'm going to be in D.C. next week. Sadly, this means absolutely no writing. Boooooo! :(**

**But! Summer's in a month...and you all want that, right? No? Well then. **

***I've already decided on what my next FF projects are going to be, so as soon as I finish SYSM, I'll jump straight into those. Sadly, that probably won't happen this summer.**

**I'll elaborate on Pikachu and Gliscor in the next chapter. RnR pls!**


	5. Chapter 5

**So yet again I'm stuck on the rating question.**

**When I read the guide on FictionRatings, I was confused. What are "minor suggestive adult themes"? What counts as "minor coarse language"? More importantly, is my story T or M? I'm thinking that I should make the story T, but put a warning for maybe Chapter One. I've also tweaked the plot a little, causing it to not have to be changed back to M later if I change it to T now. Yeah, I'm really confused. Can you guys tell me what you think in the comments?**

**DualStarduster: Good point, except note that nowhere have I said that Ash knows Anabel's reason for suicide. I plan to have this revealed to him later. Also, she probably didn't expect Ash to show up again at all-nor did she have any way to contact him. After all, his goal is to become a "Pokemon master." Lastly, teens are still teens, no matter how intelligent. Being one myself, I can tell you that we get extremely emotional sometimes. Borderline insane as shit. And yet we don't even experience half of Anabel's pain. **

**I see your logic, though. As for the rest of your review, thank you very much. I gotta disagree about AmourShipping though, I think it'll end up similar to AbilityShipping and PokeShipping-one sided with Ash being oblivious.**

**Chewie Cookies: Welcome to the dark side, my friend. Pokemon XY is awesome, I agree, but there's definitely some really broken Pokemon. Talonflame, Aegislash, Yveltal, Arceus-Fairy, that new Fairy type Eeveelution (name starts with an 'S'), Mega Gengar, Mega Blaziken, to name a few. A**pparently Belly Drum can be bred with Aqua Jet now on Azumarill. Holy shit. Did I mention that it gets the Fairy typing too? **The Fairy types are going to screw Dragons over except maybe Reshiram and/or Charizard X since they are also Fire type. The metagame will never be the same again...**

**zane04: Thank you. Brevity is the soul of wit.**

**Nick Tanico: See above.**

**Pet Shop Girl: Let's just say I got your PM.**

**WhiteEagle1985: Thank you, and that eagle in your profile picture is boss.**

**ANON: The stones, sadly, were in high demand. I only received one.**

**Friends, countrymen, lend me your...uh...search browsers? I dunno. Chapter Five! (The title is my attempt at Latin...needless to say I probably failed.)**

* * *

Chapter Five

Corpus et Anima

As you, the reader, no doubt read last chapter, Ash received several "minor" ("What? They were!" Ash would later say to an unconvinced Pikachu) injuries. Said injuries included several bruises, scratches and broken bones (hey, Anabel was a lot heavier than she looked...don't tell her). As you also know, he got those injuries after he crash landed at Tohjo Falls. Nurse Joy predicted that Ash and others involved in the incident would take a couple of weeks to heal. For anyone else (including Pikachu, Gliscor, and Anabel), this prognosis would have been incredible. Just a few weeks!

But...

You know Ash.

"Awww crap! Weeks!? Why can't I be let out TODAY!? I'm PERFECTLY F- OW! PIKACHU WHAT THE HELL-"

"Pika pi." (Shut up.)

"YOU shut up! Why'd you bite me?"

"Pika pikachu." (To get you to shut up, idiot.)

"...I hate you so much."

Meanwhile, Anabel was thanking Nurse Joy and feeling relieved that she would recover at all. Less than a month? Sweet! Scott says I'll even get my paycheck! And then I'll get to battle again!

But those thoughts are boring, so let's get back to everyone's favorite doofus. Well, I suppose Brock counts too...but this is a story about Ash, so let's just say it's Ash.**  
**

Oh! He's not talking? Cool! Hm...is he hid-

"I'm thinking, you moron!"

...oh.

* * *

Now that the fourth wall's been repaired, let's get back to business.

Ash was thinking.

_Damn, this sucks. 'A few weeks'...that's a long time. But what am I going to do? It's not like I can magically heal myself. It's not like I can magically convince Nurse Joy that I'm fine-which I am! _

Of course, as any sane, rational, logical reader would know, he wasn't.

To reiterate, Ash incurred many injuries after his chivalrous rescue of the damsel in distress (more like damsel distressed). The conspicuous gash on his nose (or what was referred to as his nose) healed quickly, as did the numerous scratches along his right arm and leg. He sprained both ankles, but one was already 100 percent fixed again. Concussion? Ash's head was already screwed up anyway. That only left his broken other arm, his impossibly twisted neck, his missing ear, his fractured wrist, and a terrible bruise on his shin.

Normally, one would lay peacefully in bed and slowly be nurtured back to full health, and not worry about "escaping prison." He or she might read a book or watch crappy sitcoms on the TV that the hospital so kindly provided. Maybe request hot tea a _little _more often than necessary. Or, if one's name were Brock, ask Nurse Joy for "therapy." A "massage", even.

But not Mr. Genius. Safety second, freedom first!

_Now, how am I gonna get out of this place..._

And Ash continued thinking.

* * *

Pikachu and Gliscor were in better condition. Well, Pikachu was. Gliscor's injuries would have been far worse than Ash's had he not been, well, a Gliscor. His skeleton was far more durable than a human's, and his exterior gave him good resistance against terrain-induced damage **(A/N: 120 base Defense, gotta mean something, amirite?)**. Lastly, his wings helped slow the fall of him, Pikachu, Ash, and Anabel, though admittedly not by very much. However, a faster decline would probably have led to death. At the very least, more injuries than he was currently suffering from.

Gliscor's claws were broken almost beyond repair. Though they did the most damage, they were also the weakest pat of his body. Luckily, they would be fine after two weeks of care. His left ear was completely busted; Nurse Joy mentioned that nothing short of surgery would be able to help. After a lot of convincing (he was deathly scared of metal tools), a reluctant Gliscor agreed to undergo surgery in a week's time. He had landed awkwardly due to uneven weight distribution (Ash was heavier than Anabel, and he was holding Pikachu), causing his wings to become bent. They, too, would require surgery.

Pikachu emerged the least scathed. Besides a few scratches and bruises, he was totally fine. To be honest, he was more hurt mentally as he saw the other three pass out.

"Pikachu? Are you there?"

Nurse Joy walked into the room carrying a tray of medication, a Chansey at her side.

"Pika."

"Oh, there you are. Would you mind helping me administer the medication again?"

Since Pikachu arrived in the hospital, he'd been helping Nurse Joy with Gliscor, who was less scared of hypodermic needles when it was Pikachu who was using them. After she gave Gliscor the pills he would have to take orally, Nurse Joy would measure the dosage, fill the syringe, and give it to Pikachu, who would then inject Gliscor with the fluid inside. Pikachu originally insisted on assisting the nurse with treating Ash as well, but Nurse Joy refused.

"He'll be fine in no time, Pikachu. Ms. Anabel's three rooms away anyway, so he won't be alone. Gliscor needs you more, okay?"

Though he disagreed at first, Pikachu eventually saw the logic in Nurse Joy's statement and made no further protest.

Speaking of protest...

"Damn! This place is so booooooooooooooooooooring!"

* * *

The next day passed without too much hassle. Nurse Joy noticed that Ash seemed to be unusually docile and distant. He even willingly opened his mouth for the medicine! (Achievement Get!)

_Oh well. As long as it makes my job easier_, she thought as she filled a syringe with a rather disgusting-looking green fluid that Ash thankfully did not have to ingest via his mouth. "Ash, try not to scream in pain this time, okay?"

"Got it."

And as usual, he clearly didn't.

"OW! OW OW OW! Geezus! That HURT! SHIIIIIT! HOLY CR-"

"Ash, calm down! You're only making it worse!"

1...2...3...

Ash forgot how to use Calm Mind.

And... Ash learned Hyper Voice!

* * *

Anabel's stay in the hospital was much, much more peaceful than Ash's. There were a couple of reasons for this, the most obvious one being that she was a lot less stubborn and stupid than the red-cap knucklehead we all know and love. The other reason was that her injuries were small compared to Ash's, probably because she'd landed on top of Ash and Gliscor and thus did not suffer the agony of having to catch someone with her backside, unlike the previously mentioned duo.

However, this did not mean that she was unscathed. Several broken bones and a dislocated kneecap prevented her from moving around much.

As of now, though, she only had one thing on her mind.

Ash.

As if by a miracle (and indeed, it was a miracle), he had come back right when she needed him most.

_Without him there, I would have kept falling...and_ _then..._Anabel shuddered.

She remembered Scott's saying how Ash wanted to become a Frontier Brain; on top of that, she would get to train him.

She could take him to the lake. That might be nice. Maybe also take him to a restaurant? Or go shopping!? (Anabel loved shopping.) **(A/N: No real surprise there, eh?)**

Anabel couldn't be happier. _This is probably the best time of my life._

_Oh right. I'm in a hospital._

_Damn it!_

* * *

It was the middle of the night, and all through the hospital, not a Pokemon nor human was stirring, except for a certain electric mouse...'s trainer.

Ash was busy in his ward. Not in the conventional sense, however. He had just devised an incredible, intricate, absolutely brilliant plan to escape.

This completely thought-out plan of his could be completely explained in four short words.

Jump through the window.

Ash looked at the bed he was lying on a moment ago.

_I won't be seeing you again._

Briefly, he wondered what everyone would think when they saw the hole in the window. Hell, what would Anabel think?

But..._Screw this, YOLO. _**(A/N: I just had to. I'm so sorry.)**

Ash took eight steps back until his back was against the door. And then he ran.

For the second time in the first five chapters, someone jumped.

...

...

...

Sadly, the walls and windows of the hospital were designed and specifically built to resist damage from Pokemon attacks (of course, they had to be built that way).

Sadly for Ash, this included Head Smash.

* * *

In the adjacent room, Anabel stirred.

She had just woken up from an exceedingly pleasant dream about Ash watching a romantic movie with her at the PokeCinema in Jubilife City, only to find that it was indeed only a dream.

Anabel sighed. _Of course it would have to be a dream. It felt so real too..._

_Well, at least I get him in the Dream World. At least I get that._

_..._

_...maybe, just maybe, he likes me b-_

Anabel's thoughts were rudely interrupted by a cacophony of bangs, crashes, and thuds coming from a nearby room.

_I'll never understand what the other patients do here-_

"OWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW! HOLY F-OW! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!"

And then the alarm bells went off in Anabel's head.

_Oh shit...that was Ash!_

As quickly as she could (which was not very quickly), she got out of bed and hobbled down the hallway to his room. And when she got there...

"What are you doing?"

...she saw Ash writhing on the floor in pain next to an overturned bedside table, a spilled glass of water, a shattered lamp, and various other items lying on the floor, including his signature cap.

Ash turned his head to see who the intruder was, and it took a full two seconds for his sleep-deprived, throbbing head to recognize the face.

"Anabel! What are you doing here?"

"I just asked you the same thing!"

"Oh...well, uh...I'm not really sure how to explain this..."

"How about I help you up first? I still have one healthy arm, y'know."

As she said that, Anabel began walking over to Ash, unfortunately not noticing the puddle of water right in front of her feet.

"Anabel! Look out!"

"Wha-EEP!"

Anabel suddenly slipped, falling forward.

Luckily for her, Mr. Superman was there to catch her yet again!

"ARGH! MY RIBS! THE F-"

"Stop complaining! What about MY KNEE!"

"CAN YOU JUST GET OFF ME ALREADY!"

"NOT SO LOUD, YOU MORON!"

"ANABEL, I COULDN'T GIVE A F-"

The door creaked open, and Ash and Anabel both instantly fell silent, sharing the same thought.

_Shit._

* * *

Nurse Joy took in the chaotic scene before her, unable to comprehend what she saw.

First of all, why was literally nothing except for the bed in its original position?

Second of all...

Why was Ms. Anabel on top of Ash?

Why was she even in his room!? At three o' clock in the morning?

The poor nurse was completely baffled. Eventually, she asked,

"What the hell is going on here?"

* * *

**For those who are curious, the title means "body and soul."**

**I had a really good time in D.C.! There was so much awesome stuff to see, some impressive, others meaningful. I was probably most impressed by the Lincoln Memorial, though I liked a lot of stuff. By far the most meaningful place to me was the Holocaust museum. It really made an impact on me, seeing it in person. Germany's come a long way since then, hasn't it? In fact, there's a law there that makes it a crime to deny that the Holocaust ever happened.**

**But as always, hope you enjoyed the chapter, and please fav, follow, and/or review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**I AM BACK!**

**Finals week is FINALLY (no pun intended) OVER, and summer vacation's in...four days? Or three? I'm not really sure. Oh well. To the reviews!**

**WhiteEagle1985: Thank you!**

**Chewie Cookies: Thanks! Your response was uncannily similar to WhiteEagle1985's...funny, in a different way.**

**ale11046327: Thanks for the idea. Quite similar to mine, except I wasn't really thinking about directly linking the two. I have thought of the whole plot for both, and linking the two would be somewhat awkward. By the way, are the numbers in your username of any significance? Just curious.**

* * *

Chapter 6

Forms

Some time after Nurse Joy found our favorite pair of characters in the most awkward position imaginable, a truly incredible event happened, benefiting Ash, Anabel, Nurse Joy, and all of the other patients.

Ash was (finally!) allowed to leave the hospital.

"YEAH! WOOT! FREEDOM BABY! TIME TO-"

"Ash." A voice interrupted the rejoicing of a boy in a red cap who obviously wasn't quite right in the head.

Momentarily disconcerted, Ash looked around for the source of the voice before realizing that it/he was right in front of him.

"Oh, hey, Scott! How are ya? I'm ready to start my Battle Frontier training! YEEHAW! When do we start! I can't wait! ...where's Anabel?"

Scott said, "Anabel's fine. In fact, she left earlier this morning and is waiting at headquarters, along with the other Frontier Brains. The only thing we need now is for you to get over there ASAP. I'm pretty sure Gliscor's healed now-"

"Cool!" Ash mentally groaned. _I'll have to explain where Saffron City is, won't I? _"I'll see you...when exactly?"

"Just as soon as possible. Oh, and remember to pick Anabel as your tutor, ok? **(A/N: See the end of Chapter Four.)**"

"Ok." _  
_

After Scott left, Ash promptly fell asleep (somehow), only waking up after Pikachu zapped him with an extra-powerful Thunderbolt. Needless to say, Ash was pissed.

"You'd think I'd be used to that kind of thing by now, but no..." Ash muttered, silently cursing his mouse companion.

* * *

"Why the hell are there seatbelts on planes but not when we need them?" Ash asked himself as Gliscor flew at breakneck speed over Cerulean City, Pikachu screaming all the while.

Surprisingly, they landed safely in Saffron City, though they attracted more than a few strange looks from passersby. One woman even got out her Poketch and snapped a photo.

_Oh well. It sure beats ending up in a hospital for three weeks. Or a month. And it's definitely better than watching your cru-I mean friend try and kill herself. _Ash shuddered as he remembered Anabel's fall.

_Why would she do that? She's always been a cheerful person. A kind person. I've basically never seen her sad, or angry, or even remotely scared. But now, she seems so...different. And when she was falling...she looked calm. Like it didn't disturb her at all that she was about to die. She looked almost happy, and that scares me. She might try again..._

_No._ I_ won't let that happen. _

With renewed resolve, Ash stiffly marched toward the large building that was two blocks away, amusing Pikachu with his behavior.

"Pika pi kaChu?" (Revolutionary fervor?)

"No. Anabel."

"...pika."

Pikachu understood that Anabel was a touchy subject to discuss, and stayed quiet. But he was thinking.

_What's gotten into him? After six months of doing nothing but being depressed and treating himself like shit, he suddenly becomes...animated again. That's not supposed to happen, is it? I don't know why he's so obsessed with Anabel, but if he's happy, then I'm happy for him. I just hope that Ash can become a good Frontier Brain. But I guess that's what this meeting is all about, isn't it?_

* * *

"He's later than I expected."

That was all Scott said when Lucy asked him when Ash would arrive.

Scott and the seven (soon to be eight) Frontier Brains were in a rather small conference room. There was a long table with one chair at each end and more chairs on either side. One wall of the room was completely made of glass, providing an excellent view over the entire city. As of now, only Scott, Lucy, Spencer, Brandon, Tucker, and Anabel were in their seats. Greta was stealthily (well, "stealthily") untying people's shoelaces, and Noland was at the other end of the room pouring himself a cup of coffee.

"Usually, when you say ASAP, people show up here within the hour," Brandon remarked. "He's taken two hours."

"Well," said Noland, "maybe he woke up late. People do that, you know. There's one late riser in this room right n-"

"Shut up, Noland." Anabel rose from her seat and looked out the window. "And I ended up getting to my meeting on time anyway."

"That's because you have an Alakazam that can just telep-"

Noland stopped when he felt a hand on his left shoulder.

"What the-let go of me!"

He tried to move away, but the hand wouldn't budge.

"Tsk. Silly Noland. Trying to annoy Anabel?" asked Greta, a devious smile on her face.

"I wasn't trying to-"

"Wrong answer. You were. Apologize to our dear Salon Maiden, would you?"

"But-"

Noland's resistance crumbled when he felt the hand on his left shoulder exert just a teensy weensy bit of pressure.

"...I'm sorry..." Noland mumbled.

"Yes?" asked a grinning Greta. "Speak up now, so everyone can hear you."

"I, for one, have rather poor hearing. Could you speak a little louder?" Spenser said.

"Oh please, Noland, you must have something important to say!" Tucker laughed.

"Say it loud, Noland," commanded Lucy.

Noland sighed. _Why the hell do I have such fantastic colleagues? _"I'm sorry, Ana-"

CRASH!

"Ahh!"

"What was THAT?"

Only three people (Spenser, Brandon, and Scott) displayed no reaction to the eccentric entrance of the newcomer.

"It's been a while, Ash," said Brandon.

"AWWWWWW C'MON ASH, WHY! I WAS ABOUT TO-"

"Greta?" interjected Scott.

"Yes?"

"Quiet. Remember, I'm the one who decides whether to pay you or not."

Not finding a suitable counter to this fact, Greta slowly shuffled back to her seat at the table. Noland, finding himself free of Greta's hold, followed suit.

"...What exactly did I miss?"

"Nothing, Ash." Scott sighed. "Nothing at all."

* * *

Most of the meeting passed without incident. Ash learned basic guidelines, what being a Frontier Brain required, how to choose a title, how to design a symbol, his place in the Frontier Brain rotation (which, since he defeated the whole Battle Frontier, would be up to him), etc. Pretty simple stuff. Finally, Scott asked Ash,

"So, before you become a true Frontier Brain, you need to serve four months under an existing Frontier Brain. During this time, you will truly learn the many tasks a Frontier Brain has. So, who will you pick? Choose wisely."

Before he could stop himself, Ash blurted out, "Anabel."

Pikachu, who had been sitting on Ash's shoulder for the whole meeting, facepalmed.

The room was silent for a moment, then Tucker chuckled, followed by Noland. Soon, everyone except for the three aforementioned stoic men was laughing. Even Greta was too amused by Anabel's startled facial expression to think about embarassing Noland again.

After silence was restored in the room, Scott said, "Excellent. I had a feeling you would choose her." He shot a death glare at a snickering Noland before resuming. "Well, alright then. That was a quick selection process. Everyone except Ash, you may leave." Scott then rose and left the room.

As the seven current Frontier Brains headed toward the door, Spenser bent down and whispered, "You might want a drink of coffee. This next part might take a while."

"Ok." Ash followed Spenser's advice, but he was confused-and not by Spenser's words.

_Why'd I say Anabel's name so quickly? I mean, I would have chosen her anyway, but...it would have been nice not to make it so obvious that I was only considering her. Literally everyone knew what was going on...yikes._

_Oh right! Scott said something about how he wanted Anabel to tutor me_._ That must be why! Good work, subconscious!_

And with this lame excuse of an excuse, Ash justified his stupidity.

Scott soon returned with a large manila folder. He prepared for what would undoubtedly be a painful time for both Ash and himself. "Well, Ash, we must now face one of the worst punishments known to mankind." After he saw Ash's confused face, Scott elaborated. "Paperwork."

Ash slammed his face into the table. Repeatedly.

"So," said Scott, "let's get started."

* * *

Most of the forms were easy to fill, consisting mainly of personal information such as date of birth. Finally, Ash got to the last sheet of paper.

**Question 1.**

**Which Pokemon is your favorite, and why?**

Ash scribbled down a simple answer: "Pikachu, because he was my first Pokemon and he's always been there for me. He gives 110% for me when I need him most."

"Pika." (Thanks.)

"It's the truth."

**Question 2. **

**Write down ideas for your title (ex. Factory Head Noland).**

Ash wrote down a large number of cringe-inducingly cheesy suggestions (he was still a kid at heart), causing agony for Pikachu's eyes. _If Ash ever does something like this again, I'm gonna make him buy me a blindfold._

**Question 3. **

**Write down ideas for your facility.**

"Pika Chu kapi chuKa Chu pikachu pi chu ka." (They're not gonna be able to build a Death Star.)

"Let me dream, ok?"

**Question 4.**

**Why do you want to become a Frontier Brain?**

Ash wrote another relatively simple response: "Being a Frontier Brain will help me battle with others and improve as a trainer. I hope to accomplish my goals and fulfill my dreams, and having experience as a leader and a target instead of a challenger will prove invaluable."

**Question 5.**

**Earlier, you chose to serve four months under a current Frontier Brain as part of your initiation. Who did you choose, and why?**

* * *

"Done."

Scott looked at the pile of papers, then at Ash. "I must say, you took rather long to complete those forms. What happened?"

"Well...some questions were more complicated than others."

"I see." Scott smiled knowingly. "Well, congratulations. Your initiation begins today. Fly back to Tohjo Falls; Anabel's waiting for you there."

"Thanks."

Ash strode out of the room.

Instead of filing the papers away or checking them in order, Scott removed a sheet from the large heap of forms. "I wonder what he wrote..."

* * *

**Chapter 6 done. SORRY FOR TAKING SO LONG!**

**I've changed the summary and title, as you guys probably know. The next chapter should be up by next week, and I will say this: it is key to understanding the story.**

**Follow, favorite, or comment. Anything is appreciated!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Zzz...sleepy...anyway, what's up everyone? I'm finally on summer vacation! :D**

**AnthonyC22: Finals week was good; the tests were easy as shit, lol-one question on the literature final asked how King Claudius is related to Prince Hamlet. Curiously, when I read your comment, I remembered Gary from the old days (because he too calls Ash "Ashy-boy"). As for building a Death Star...well, I don't really know :D**

**Guest: Thanks, but...THE UNSC INFINITY? That, my friend, is genius.**

**Chewie Cookies: I'm glad I updated too...XD**

**Enjoy Chapter Seven!**

* * *

Chapter Seven

The Reason

"Well, alright then. That was a quick selection process. Everyone except Ash, you may leave."

With those words, Scott got up from his seat and walked out the door. The Frontier Brains exchanged glances, then they, too, rose and exited, entering a long hallway.

"Well, that was an interesting meeting, wasn't it?" said Tucker.

"Yep, it definitely was, wasn't it, Ana-OW!" Noland yelled as Anabel, who was actually previously a good distance ahead of the others, pinched him.

"Shut up." Anabel briskly walked forward again, maintaining the distance.

"...yes ma'am."

Having been utterly humiliated by someone of the opposite gender twice in a row, Noland took what little dignity he could muster and moved to one side of the corridor, muttering curses...well, until Greta heard him and "lightly" poked him in the ribs.

"So, what'd you guys think of Ash?" Greta asked, ignoring Noland's scream of pain.

"Well," Lucy said, "he fared better than I expected. He seemed to understand everything easily, even without explanation."

"True," Tucker agreed. "Though I do think his entrance was a little...unexpected, to say the least."

"'Uncalled for' might be a better term to use," Brandon said.

"Yeah, exactly. I mean, even I'D never do that." Greta grinned. "It was funny though-"

"Almost as funny as when you did the exact same thing, except you actually broke the door." Spenser had a wry smile on his face.

Greta pouted and avoided eye contact with the Palace Maven. _Gah, Spenser can be so annoying sometimes. _She called out, "So, Anabel, what do you think of-"

She immediately quivered in fear as Anabel turned around, a pissed expression on her face. "Did you say something, Greta?"

"U-Uhm...yeah...I w-was gonna ask your op-opinion on-"

Spenser discreetly whispered, "Say more and she is going to kill you."

Greta nodded and quickly ran behind the others.

"She seems very touchy about the subject of Ash right now," Brandon observed.

"Indeed. One would think she'd be happy right now," said Spenser.

"Well," Lucy pointed out, "Scott did tell us she fainted after she heard that Ash was gonna become a Frontier Brain. So I'm pretty sure she's happy about it."

Tucker spoke. "There is one other possibility. She may be happy, but perhaps she also detected something a little...off. Did anyone else notice? Ash seemed very blank, docile, possibly even unconfident. Surely if even we, being non-empathic, could see this, then no doubt Anabel could too, and more. No doubt Scott could, too. I don't know what Scott plans to do about our aspiring candidate's change in personality, but I guarantee that he'll do something."

* * *

"We...really need elevators in this building," Noland gasped as the group reached the first floor.

"We have them, Noland." Greta laughed. "It's just that some people don't mind walking, aka everyone else here. Get more fit, would ya? Even Anabel's not complaining, and she's way younger than you!"

"Hey! I'll have you know that I'm a mechanic-"

Brandon interrupted. "The only thing that means is that you don't really walk, you just bend your back trying to examine plane undercarriages."

"...I hate you all."

"There's a fine line between hate and love, my friend," Spenser responded gleefully.

"What does th-"

"If I remember, you said you 'hated' Jasmine," Tucker said.

"I still do!"

"Then why are you thinking of her chest?" Anabel asked. Although she had been keeping quiet, the information gleaned from using her special abilities, combined with the current situation, proved too tempting to waste.

Noland spluttered. "I'M NOT!"

Anabel continued. "And now you're dreaming of girls in general. Oh dear. What do you like in a girl? I mean, besides your-"

Noland was beet red now. "SHUT UP, SHUT UP!"

"I suppose anyone that's living would suit your criteria?"

Noland, purple with rage, yelled, "Anyone that's living and is actually PRETTY! THERE'S SOMEONE HERE WHO SURE ISN'T!"

Everyone suddenly got quiet, eagerly yet fearfully watching the events unfold. Then Anabel quietly whispered,

"Yeah. Good thing you never look at yourself in a mirror, otherwise you'd turn yourself to stone."

One moment of silence.

Then, laughter. And Noland screaming threats that would probably make Arceus cower in fear.

* * *

Meanwhile, in his own dimension, Arceus watched the whole spectacle and was amused.

"Humans. Such interesting creatures."

* * *

"Here's the exit," gestured Brandon.

All the Frontier Brains prepared to step through the doors that served as the gateway to freedom.

Suddenly...

"Anabel, can I have a word? The rest of you, leave please."

Scott appeared, holding a large stack of papers. "Oh, these? These are the forms for Ash to sign. I misplaced the ones I had earlier, so I came down to make copies." He pointed to the door. "Now, go."

Not wishing to jeopardize their chances of getting paid, six of the seven left.

"Ah, that's better. By the way, why did Noland look so red?"

Anabel blushed. "Oh...um...he's usually like that. You know. He's Noland."

Scott chuckled. "I see." In reality, Scott had heard everything that the Frontier Brains had said. _Noland still hasn't learned to properly hide his thoughts. Anabel can't read human minds all that well, she can only sense human emotion...unless it's Noland's completely open mind she's infiltrating. Oh well. As long as it leads to some entertainment I'm not complaining, though I'm sure one day he'll try to smash a hole through something. _Scott set aside his thoughts of reinforcing everything in the conference room with steel and resumed talking. "Anabel, the truth is, I expected Ash to pick you because I told him to. The primary reason is your friendship, or, as you would like it to be, rela-"

"Friendship," Anabel said firmly.

Scott grinned. "Right," he said. "Friendship." His grin grew wider as he saw Anabel turn red. "But on a more serious note, there was another reason."

Puzzled, Anabel asked what that other reason was.

"I think you know as well, Anabel. Tell me, did you observe anything about Ash during the meeting?"

"No, not really. He looked the same to me."

"Not like that, Anabel. Let me rephrase the question: did you sense anything about Ash during the meeting?"

Anabel thought, then responded, "Actually, I did. You did too, right? He seemed a little...passive. I'm pretty sure the other Frontier Brains noticed too. Tucker said he seemed docile."

Scott nodded. "Yes, I thought so too. I think we can both agree on one thing: this is not the Ash we know. Sometimes his old self is present, but other times this shell is in his place. That's why I told Ash to have you mentor him. Anabel, besides readying him for becoming a Frontier Brain, I have one more task for you."

He placed a hand on Anabel's shoulder. "From time to time, when you think he's in a fairly decent mood, sit down with him and find out just what is sapping him of his former energy and activity. At first, simply explore his mind a little, familiarize yourself with it, the like. Report all findings to me so we can help him. Ash simply cannot perform well in his current state. So good luck. Depending on how long it takes for Ash to fill out these forms, he'll be with you within two to three hours." As he finished speaking, Scott turned around and walked toward the elevator.

Anabel stepped outside. "Alakazam!" she said as she released the Psi Pokemon from its Pokeball. "Teleport me to my home, please."

With a grunt and a nod, her trusty instant transportation system snapped its fingers and they were both gone.

**I'm alive! Yeah, if you guys haven't realized by now, Anabel's travels inside Ash's brain will be a key part of this story. **

**I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter, and please leave a review! (Or follow/favorite this story-that's great as well!)**


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